Excretion

Dr Alaa Badr
Bachelor of Medicine
01223306656
 Excretion
Excretion: removal of metabolic wastes substances in excess or toxins from
the body cells to the outside
Excretory organs in human:
2L = lungs, liver
KS= kidney, skin (sweat glands)
Kidney:
ϖ The kidneys are bean shaped organs which are present on each side of the
vertebral column in the abdominal cavity.
ϖ Humans have two kidneys and each kidney is supplied with blood from the
renal artery.
ϖ From each kidney, the urine travels through a large duct called ureter and
empties into the urinary bladder.
ϖ The bladder is a muscular organ that expands to store urine
ϖ When the bladder contracts, urine is pushed through another duct called the
urethra to the outside of the body
ϖ This is called the urinary system
The function of the two kidneys:
1. Filter the blood
2. Excreting nitrogenous wastes
3. Regulating the levels of water and salt present in the blood plasma
4. Regulating blood pH
The Nephron:
The basic functional unit of the kidney is the nephron, a tiny tubule ideal for blood
filtering task. Each human kidney contains about 1 million nephrons
ϖ Nephron consist of:
1. Bowman's capsule (NON SELECTIVE Filtration except for blood except blood
proteins cant pass)
2. Proximal convoluted tubule
3. Descending loop of henle
4. Ascending loop of henle
5. Distal convoluted tubule
6. Collecting duct
7. Ureter
ϖ Surrounding vessels:
1. Afferent arteriole
2. Efferent arteriole
3. Glomerulus capillaries
4. Renal vein
Hormonal control of the kidneys:
The kidney is able to respond quickly to the changing requirements of the body
because it is under the control of the endocrine system
ϖ Aldosterone hormone: regulates the sodium level in the blood
1. It is secreted by adrenal cortex
2. It acts on the distal convoluted tubules to increase sodium reabsorption
ϖ Antidiuretic hormone: regulate the water level in the blood
1. It is produced in the hypothalamus and is stored and secreted by the
posterior pituitary glans
2. It increases the permeability of the collecting duct to water so that more
water can be reabsorbed back into the body. Uterine volume is reduced and
urine is concentrated
3. Drinking alcohol blocks the release of ADH resulting in increased urination
and even dehydration
 The skin:
Skin has three layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the hypodermis
1. The epidermis:
ϖ Top most layer which touches the outside environment
ϖ Active cell division occurs in the lower region of the epidermis. As new cells
are created, old cells are pushed toward the surface, where they form a
hardened, dead layer that is constantly shed.
ϖ The epidermis contains melanocytes that secret melanin pigment (black
pigment) responsible for skin color and protection from UV rays
ϖ It's covered by keratin protein (impermeable to water)
2. The dermis:
ϖ It is the living tissue that contains many blood vessels, sweat glands, and
sebaceous glands which produce oil that keep skin from drying out
ϖ The dermis also cantina nerve endings that are responsive to touch, pressure,
heat, cold, and pain
3. The hypodermis:
ϖ It is the subcutaneous layer of the skin
ϖ It is mainly composed of loose connective tissue and fat cells

The skin (integumentary system) functions:

1. Protects against infection, abrasion, and water loss
2. Contains nerve endings vital for sensation, such as touch, heat, and cold
3. Excretes sweat to maintain water and salt balance in the body
(osmoregulation)
4. Produces vitamin D on exposure to the UV rays in sunlight
5. Regulates body temperature (thermoregulation)
Skin and thermoregulation:
The skin helps warm blooded animals maintain constant body temperature in
varying environments
ϖ When the body becomes too warm 
1. Blood vessels in the skin dilate allowing heat to escape through the skin
surface by radiation
2. Special glands called sweat glands produce salty secretion called
perspiration that evaporates off the surface of skin taking heat with it
3. Decrease body metabolism
ϖ When the body becomes too cold
1. Sweat glands shut down
2. Blood vessels constrict keeping the blood away from the skin surface
3. The muscle begins to contract rapidly and shiver which generates heat
4. Increase body metabolism
5. Goose bump effect (erection of hair)
Important notes:
ϖ The structure found in human males that functions in both urinary (carries
urine) and reproductive (carries semen) system is the urethra
ϖ Execratory structures in organisms:
1. Contractile vacuole for unicellular organism
2. Flame cells for flat worms called Platyhelminthes
3. Nephridia for annelids and mollusks
4. Malpighian tubules for insects
5. Kidneys in human
ϖ In renal failure, dialysis is used to remove metabolic wastes from blood
ϖ Buffering system (regulating blood PH level) in humans:
1. Lungs (respiratory system)
2. Kidney (urinary system)
3. Blood
ϖ Albino organism: an organism without pigment
I. Albino plant  plants without chlorophyll so can't perform photosynthesis
and will die
II. Albino animal  animal without melanin pigment causes skin burn or skin
cancer
ϖ Mechanisms used by mammals to lower their body temperature include:
1. Burrowing underground
2. Changing posture
3. Panting in dogs
4. Flapping ears as in elephants
5. NEVER to exercise vigrously
ϖ Nitrogenous metabolic wastes and their associated water loos:
1. Ammonia, excreted with huge water loss e.g.:
 Fish
 Amphibian larva (tadpole)
2. Urea, excreted with moderate .water loss e.g.:
 Molluscs as snails
 Amphibian adult
 Annelids (segmented worm) e.g.: earth warm
 Mammals
3. Uric acid, minimal water loss e.g.:
 Dessert animals
 Insects
 Reptiles
 Birds
ϖ Hair of skin reduces wind flow and heat loss in mammals
ϖ Ectotherms:
 Animals that gain most of their body heat from the environment
 They have low metabolic rate
 They must maintain adequate body temperature through behavioral means
 Examples: fish, amphibians, and reptiles
 They are also known as "cold-blooded"
ϖ Endotherms:
 Animals that use their metabolic processes (oxidizing sugar) to produce body heat
 Their body temperature is constant
 Examples: mammals, birds
 They are also known as "warm-blooded"
ϖ Poikilotherms: Having body temperature that varies with environment
ϖ Homeotherms: Have constant body temperature
ϖ Counter-current heat exchange:
 A mechanism that helps cool or warm extremities
ϖ Diuretics:
 Drug prescribed by doctor to treat high blood pressure
 Commonly called " water pill"
 Decrease blood volume by increase water release in urine